OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Omaha Public Power District says it is already working to improve operations at its Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant. OPPD CEO Gary Gates says the utility is taking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s concerns seriously. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday that Fort Calhoun will receive more oversight as a result of the regulatory violations found in the past couple years. Both OPPD and the NRC said the concerns at Fort Calhoun don’t represent a threat to public safety. A team of OPPD officials starting looking for ways to improve Fort Calhoun’s operations earlier this year. The utility said some of those changes have already been made, but some measures have been delayed while the plant was shut down this summer because of flooding.

Troy Jerman

The Iowa Department of Transportation District 4 Office in Atlantic is pleased to announce the appointment of Troy Jerman to District 4 Engineer.  Troy replaces John Selmer who took a position in the Central office in Ames.

Troy grew up in Anthon, Iowa graduating from Anthon-Oto Community School.  He received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University.  He began his career with the Iowa Department of Transportation as a COOP student in the Sioux City RCE office in 1989 and then in the office of design in Ames.  Troy spent 3 years at the Cherokee RCE office from 1994-1997.  He then spent 6 years in the office of design in the consultant coordination section as the Field Exam Engineer from 1997-2003.  He then became a Senior Transportation Engineer in the office of Traffic and Safety and spent 7 years in that position from 2003-2010 until he was appointed the Assistant District Engineer and Interim District Engineer in District 5 which he has served for the past year.

Troy will officially begin on September 16^th.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green reports two people were arrested Saturday, on unrelated charges. 36-year old Julius Kieki, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. And, 33-year old Nicholas Pelzer, of Atlantic, was arrested for 1^st offense OWI.

Both men were brought to the Cass County Jail and held.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman has announced the courthouse in Atlantic will be closed for two and one-half hours Wednesday, so that county employees may attend the funeral of Chuck Kinen. Kinen, who was serving his fourth term as a member of the Board of Supervisors, died Saturday, from pancreatic cancer.

Sunderman says all County offices at the Cass County Courthouse will be closed from 11:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M., Wednesday.

One person was injured during a single-vehicle accident Monday afternoon southwest of Corning. The Adams County Sheriff’s office reports 72-year old Karen Melton, of Omaha, NE., was transported to Mercy Hospital by Adams County Rescue, after the 2006 Buick she was driving eastbound on Highway 34, swerved to the left and hit a railroad bridge railing.

The car bounced off the railing on the opposite side of the bridge and then back to the left and struck the rail again, before coming to rest against the north bridge railing. The accident happened at around 1:25-p.m., Monday.

Officials say the vehicles’ drivers side airbag deployed upon impact.

RUTHVEN, Iowa (AP) – A 2 1/2- year-old boy has died after being hit by a riding lawn mower operated by his father on a farm near Ruthven in northwest Iowa. The accident happened Friday afternoon. Rescue crews discovered the child, Kenneth Henningsen, dead at the scene. His father Curtis Henningsen, was operating the mower. No other information was immediately available. The accident remains under investigation.